FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.19.38

स त्वं विमृश्यास्य भवं प्रजापते सङ्कल्पनं विश्वसृजां पिपीपृहि । ऐन्द्रीं च मायामुपधर्ममातरं प्रचण्डपाखण्डपथं प्रभो जहि ॥ ३८ ॥
sa tvaṁ vimṛśyāsya bhavaṁ prajāpate
[sa tvam vimrishyaasya bhavam prajaapate]
saṅkalpanaṁ viśva-sṛjāṁ pipīpṛhi
[sankalpanam vishva-srijaam pipeeprihi]
aindrīṁ ca māyām upadharma-mātaraṁ
[aindreem cha maayaam upadharma-maataram]
pracaṇḍa-pākhaṇḍa-pathaṁ prabho jahi
[prachanda-paakhanda-patham prabho jahi]
saḥ — the aforesaid tvam — you vimṛśya — considering asya — of the world bhavam — existence prajā-pate — O protector of the people saṅkalpanam — the determination viśva-sṛjām — of the progenitors of the world pipīpṛhi — just fulfill aindrīm — created by the King of heaven ca — also māyām — illusion upadharma — of the irreligious system of so-called sannyāsa mātaram — the mother pracaṇḍa — furious, dangerous pākhaṇḍa-patham — the path of sinful activities prabho — O Lord jahi — please conquer.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa tvaṁ vimṛśyāsya bhavaṁ prajāpate
saḥ
the aforesaid
tvam
you
vimṛśya
considering
asya
of the world
bhavam
existence
prajā-pate
O protector of the people
saṅkalpanaṁ viśva-sṛjāṁ pipīpṛhi
saṅkalpanam
the determination
viśva-sṛjām
of the progenitors of the world
pipīpṛhi
just fulfill
aindrīṁ ca māyām upadharma-mātaraṁ
aindrīm
created by the King of heaven
ca
also
māyām
illusion
upadharma
of the irreligious system of so-called sannyāsa
mātaram
the mother
pracaṇḍa-pākhaṇḍa-pathaṁ prabho jahi
pracaṇḍa
furious, dangerous
pākhaṇḍa-patham
the path of sinful activities
prabho
O Lord
jahi
please conquer.
O protector of the people in general, please consider the purpose of your being incarnated by Lord Viṣṇu. The irreligious principles created by Indra are but mothers of so many unwanted religions. Please therefore stop these imitations immediately.

Lord Brahmā addresses King Pṛthu as prajāpate just to remind him of his great responsibility in maintaining the peace and prosperity of the citizens. Mahārāja Pṛthu was empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for this purpose only. It is the duty of the ideal king to see that people are properly executing religious principles. Lord Brahmā especially requested King Pṛthu to conquer the pseudoreligious principles produced by King Indra. In other words, it is the duty of the state or king to put a stop to pseudoreligious systems produced by unscrupulous persons. Originally a religious principle is one, given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it comes through the channel of disciplic succession in two forms. Lord Brahmā requested Pṛthu Mahārāja to desist from his unnecessary competition with Indra, who was determined to stop Pṛthu Mahārāja from completing one hundred yajñas. Instead of creating adverse reactions, it was better for Mahārāja Pṛthu to stop the yajñas in the interest of his original purpose as an incarnation. This purpose was to establish good government and set things in the right order.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Master of the people! Considering the auspiciousness of the world, complete the vow of the progenitors and destroy the illusion which generates imitation dharma, created by Indra--the path of the formidable heretics. O master of the progeny! Think of the auspiciousness (bhavam) of the world. The progenitors created you by churning the arm of Vena. Fulfill their desire. Pipīpṛhi, instead of puraya is poetic license. This path of formidable heretics, created by Indra produces (mātaram) upadharma. Patham is masculine though mātaram is feminine, since it has a fixed gender.
Indra's irreligious principles are mothers of many unwanted religions; stop the imitations immediately. Bad religious innovations multiply unless cut at the source; act early.
Reflection Questions
  • Which bad religious innovation in my era is birthing many small distortions?
  • Where could I cut a bad pattern early before it spawns its lineage?
📝 My note

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